Falling of an Angel
by Generic Redshirt
Summary: (MOVIE VERSE) A call comes through during Alan's first visit to TB5, he later learns what being a Thunderbird is all about. (Sorry that it is all clumped into one! The mac comps at college hate me)


"Father!" "Dad,you okay." He shook his head and stared once more out of the plexiglass windows, Earth still raced up to meet him, the shuttle, still out of reach. "Hang on." He refused to blink and his eyes were watering now, as flames licked over him, embracing him warming him, from the cold outside and the cold that could so easily embrace him. It was a redundant comment, they were each strapped in anyway, himself, hands on the reigns of the beast, to his right sat John. With shimmering platinum blonde hair, a sweat coated forehead and his mothers smile on his handsome young features. He was alive.Behind them sat Alan, the youngest of the Tracy family, he looked half excited and half scared to death. John had stopped counting out loud although it was clear the numbers were still reeling past in his mind, "We need to get closer." "I know" was his only response. The shuttle had encountered a rouge meteorite, it had punctured one of the engine casings, sent it out of control. It was going to crash, kill the crew and if it should land in a city or town the death count could sky rocket. "Come in Thunderbird three, come in Thunderbird three." It was Scott's voice, the eldest of the Tracy brothers and the most experienced behind Jeff himself. Alan scrambled from the control panel doing what he could to lighten the load for his brother and father. Taking a deep breath and organising the jumble of thoughts in his mind he spoke "Go ahead we read you." "I'm at NASA, look there's nothing they can do from down here, Thunderbird 2 is on it's way, but I'm not sure what they can do." he had emphasised the fact they were on the way hoping this would come as good news, hoping this would help them somehow. Jeff spoke up as the voice came into focus around him "Understood, out." "Dad there about to break atmosphere." Alan looked to Jeff who looked from the readouts before him to the shuttle and back before slamming his hand down hard on the accelerator lurching the ship forward at speeds far beyond its creator had in mind. The ship barrel rolled to come over head of the burning shuttle, the flames licked at Thunderbird threes bright red coat before being destroyed by the vacuum, yet things were heating up. The upper reaches of the atmosphere were only a few metres away now and closing fast, too fast. "What the hell can we do ?" "Everything within our power." was Jeff's only answer for even he didn't know what could be done to rescue the six souls aboard the space shuttle. Alan was quiet, not sure of what to say or do he watched in amazement. "John do you trust me ?" "Always." "Suit up, I'm brining us in closer." John looked at his father as though he was mad, perhaps he was. Alan tore his gaze away from the streaking mass of molten metal to gaze open mouthed at his father. John tried to object, tried to think of anything to say, but nothing came to him, he was halfway to the rear compartment when he heard his youngest brother speak up. "There's no way he'll make it." "Of course he will." was his fathers stern response. "What if he doesn't though" fear was overwhelming Alan now, only sixteen he turned to look at John wondering if he will ever see his brother again. Jeff turned to look at his son, he didn't say anything, didn't nod or wink, there was no need. "I'm ready to go" John's voice was metallic and soulless sounding over the ships inter comm system. He was suited up and ready, he gave one last heartfelt tug on the metallic cord before slamming a gloved fist down on the hatch open button. He was blown out and felt his stomach instantly contract and turn, yet he could not focus on that, could not think about what would happen if this went wrong, could not think of where he was going only why. The thrusters on the suit shot him forward and combined with the force of the blast that had shot him from the airlock meant within a few seconds he was bracing himself against the roaring fires. It did little good, the soft white fabric of the space suit managing to repel the flames by itself, yet even so he was in the foetal position when he collided with the scorched hull. Quick as a flash he swung out the mag-lock fixed to his suit and slammed it against the hull meaning there was no chance of his flying off into the depths of space. It was not that reassuring. With that in place he ran along the hull allowing the thinner cord to reach out, allowing him a good mile at least of distance from the anchor. "This is Thunderbird Three to space shuttle Enterprise, come in." Named for the first of the reusable space shuttles which in turn had its name given to it from myth and fiction, it was it's first mission, the crew were mainly youngsters who had never set foot in space before. Jeff had followed the mission with vague interest as he had with all space missions since his retirement from NASA. He could only hope the training they had received before hand was enough to keep them alive now. Static filled the channels as Jeff flicked about hoping to lock in, NASA had said there long range communications system was out, they didn't know about the short range. "Thisshhh is Enterpcrackle thank god your here." the voice was weak yet still full of life. "Alright listen up, we have a man aboard your shuttle, he is making his way to your port airlock now, suit up and get ready." "Will...." the rest was lost to static. Jeff hoped they had gotten that, he tried again but there was nothing now. "This is Thunderbird Two to Thunderbird Three, we are on route, estimated time to intercept thirty minutes." Virgil's voice rang loud and true around the small cabin. The flames licked at John's already blackening space suit, he only hoped it would hold for long enough. He could see the door ahead, yet the journey there was slow and difficult, less powerful electromagnets were fitted into the suit yet it felt like every step forward meant two backwards. He forced himself onwards. Debris was starting to peel from the once smooth white hull as it tumbled toward Earth below, he had to duck to avoid a large sheet that pulled itself off and came rolling at him head over heels. While pressed against the hull he couldn't help but lift his head and stare at the wondrous shape of the bright red rocket that seemed to sail over head, like the countless they had saved across the globe he found hope. Lifting himself up he ran on as fast as the suit and magnets would allow, he was making head way he was sure. He was within a few feet when the door ahead of him swung open, yet it went too far caught in the extreme friction and gravity coming into play both inside and out meant that when the door finally did swing open it crashed against the side of the craft before slamming shut and then with power from the gods themselves it pulled of and headed his way, it was little effort to duck as the door trailed off into space but even so it got his blood pumping hard and the adrenaline racing around his body much faster than he ever thought possible. It was thru this that he was able to do what he did next, he had seen, god, knows how but he had seen it, the woman encased in a standard issue NASA Space suit heading his way. Quickly judging the angles and distance he ran toward her over the last few steps and waited until the last moment to leap. he caught her in both arms but that was the easy bit, quickly angling himself head first he ignited the booster rockets and sped toward the open air lock. He had wanted to save them for later, just in case. He didn't have a choice. The electronic magnets in his boots clicked as they locked against the stark floor of the air lock, they wouldn't hold for long he knew but it was all he could hope for. Looking into the domed helmet of the astronaut and found a terrified looking young woman, no older than twenty five and a now pure white complexion. "You okay ?" She lifted her head from the depths of her suit to look at him and nodded, she could hear him, that was good he realised it would make this easier at least. "Tell everyone to get suited up we're gonna have to go in one turn now." He looked out into the burning field mere feet away from him slowly engulfing the craft and then him, he hoped this would work. "We're not gonna make it in time." "Of course we are." said Virgil with that usual cocky air he got. Gordon didn't feel it, all he knew was that including his two brothers and his father there were now nine people hurtling to Earth and there lives could depend on if they got there in time. Scott watched the massive screen that filled the whole opposite wall, he was in mission control, yet he had no control right now, could not help or do anything but watch. Jeff watched the World fill his vision, let John fill his mind. He had been strict, perhaps too strict, what if his final words to John had been to send him to his death. No he couldn't think like that, John was the best they had perhaps better than himself when it came to space walks, he could handle himself. He could not go soft now, not when those people needed him. He forced the words out "John, we don't have long, you've got to hurry up." Alan looked from his father to the brother he could not see, to the brother risking his life to save those trapped aboard. Was his father really that cold ? That heartless ? He looked to the clock reading of the red digits that counted down till Earths atmosphere. He wouldn't make it. He looked through the small window to the inside of the shuttle to the five people scrambling with there equipment, racing for there lives. He wished them speed. It didn't come, time slowed around him. The end was coming, he was sure of that now, he would meet it standing, die as he lived. Pulling the metallic clip from his pouch he clipped it onto the line and offered it to the young woman stood in his embrace. She looked from him to the line and back. "What about you." "Go." She was gone racing along the hull as the flames licked at her heels, fires bursting from the ships frame around her. Virgil's knuckles were now white as he gripped the controls on the behemoth that was Thunderbird two. the counter beside him read two minutes left, the one below that five. They would be three minutes too late and that could mean all the difference. He wasn't sure even what they could do, neither was Gordon or Brains. All they knew was they had too try. Scott was slumped forward in his chair, Thunderbird One currently the fastest air craft on the planet was outside , it was useless to him right now. He had been too far away to get there in time he knew that then and now. But he wanted to race out, to head over and save the day, or try. The pressure had equalised, the first three were away, that left only two more to go, He watched them stand there eager and yet afraid, wanting to run yet afraid to move. Then soon they were gone, running along the hull and then half climbing half floating up the long wire to Thunderbird three overhead. Yet by then it was too late, as he saw the last of them push off from the hull he unclipped the line and flung himself inside. Air was starting to rush past if he went now he risked pulling them all into Earths gravity and at the angle they were going, at the speed the engines were pushing them he knew they couldn't make it. The ship offered his only hope, there was a chance however slim that it would save him, keep alive through the worst of it. "John!, John !" the cry was from Alan, as he watched the ship fall through the atmosphere with gravity now added to its decent, it was faster than ever. He watched as his brother fell from the heavens. John was alone now, in the burning metal coffin as it headed to a splash down in the middle of the Atlantic. He gave thanks his last breath was used for good, to help, to save lives. That was what being a Thunderbird, no what being a Tracy was all about. "How could you, you sent him to his death, you killed him!" Jeff was levelling Thunderbird Three off, brining her in nice and slow while he laid in the co-ords for NASA. "He knew the risks." "You heartless bastard." Perhaps he was he reasoned, perhaps he had to be, as a father he would do anything to save his sons, anything. Yet as the head of international rescue, he had to weigh the odds, had to think of what they had done this day, the six people they had saved. Was that worth it he didn't know. He had a tear in his suit, his skin felt aflame, his mind blank. He lay there letting the water rise around him. Air was still trapped near the top of the shuttle but he didn't have the energy to get to it, didn't have the strength left to save himself. Then the water engulfed him. Virgil lay head on the controls, he had been to late, he could have done something. Could have helped. Was he too late? Then Gordon's voice rose from the silence "I've found him......." 


End file.
